


The Ties that Bind

by PitofInsanity



Series: Toy Soldier [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: CG!Spinel, Family Feels, Parental Fear, Parental Instinct, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22282813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PitofInsanity/pseuds/PitofInsanity
Summary: “... You want me to what?”“... W-we wanted you to pretend to be my mom?” repeats Steven as he rubs the back of his neck.He flashes Spinel a small smile, and… Well, shoot. She never had a chance, did she?Or, the Crystal Gems meet the Maheswarans.(A CG!Spinel story set during S1E32: Fusion Cuisine.)
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Crystal Gems & Spinel (Steven Universe), Spinel & Steven Universe
Series: Toy Soldier [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563904
Comments: 4
Kudos: 102





	The Ties that Bind

**Author's Note:**

> A note to new readers, 
> 
> This work is part of a series written in non-chronological order and as such, each entry is written to stand alone to the best of its ability while still keeping continuity with the rest of the AU. That being said, it is encouraged to start with "Toy Soldier" to get a gist of the story. 
> 
> The non-chronological nature of this series also means that references to other works in this series may be present. Therefore, a list of recommended fics to continue with, if desired, is found below.
> 
> 1\. "Toy Soldier"  
> 2\. "Old Programming"
> 
> Again, this series can be read in any order with the basic premise being that Spinel has been a Crystal Gem since the war.

“... You want me to _what_?”

Connie and Steven glance at each other quickly, sheepishly. Apparently, this wasn’t the reaction they were hoping to get.

“... W-we wanted you to pretend to be my mom?” repeats Steven as he rubs the back of his neck.

He flashes Spinel a small smile, and… Well, shoot. She never had a chance, did she? But still…

“W-why _me_ though? Wouldn’t Pearl-“

“Pearl doesn’t eat.”

“Garnet-“

“Isn’t good with people.”

“Ame-“ she tries before cutting herself off at the look they both give her.

Yeah… That wouldn’t go over too well.

“ _Please_ , Spinel. You’re our only choice!”

Oh no. Not the eyes. Please don’t do the eyes-

Dang it.

“F-fine,” she relents, face bright. “Just stop looking at me like that.”

(“Heh,” smirks Amethyst later. “He’s got you wrapped around his little finger.”

“Like you’re any better,” she fires back with a grin.)

* * *

_He seems… smaller than she expected. More fragile. Why that is, she’s not too sure. It’s not like she hasn’t had experience with human young before. Five thousand years is an awfully long time, after all, and the weight of countless friends since-passed settles like a worn, but beloved blanket against her shoulders._

_The names and faces of all but the most recent blur together now, the memories distant and hazy. But the feelings are still there, immortalized in the wooden figurines she so diligently carves. This one, Steven, will join them too, one day._

_Spinel doesn’t like to think about that._

_Someone calls her name distantly; the sound nearly lost amidst her rampant thoughts. She wrenches her gaze away from the baby. “Huh?”_

_“Do you want to hold him?” repeats Greg, chuckling._

_Spinel freezes. “What- No! I-it’s okay, I-“_

_“What she means is, she’d love to,” pipes up Pearl from her spot on the couch. She raises a brow at the scandalized glare she receives in response. “Don’t even give me that look, Spinel. You know you do. You love kids.”_

_“That’s not the point! I-“_

_She’s interrupted by the several pounds of squirming baby that suddenly appears in her arms. Steven stares up at her with wide, wide eyes._

_He sneezes._

_She melts._

_“Traitors,” Spinel mutters in feigned annoyance as she carefully holds the boy aloft. She can feel Pearl’s smirk from a mile away. “Ya’ hear that, kid?” she continues, swaying him gently from side to side. “Your dad and Pearl both. Traitors.”_

_He gurgles happily in response._

* * *

Dinner is… awkward, to say the least. She and Greg are friends, sure, but pretending to be married is another thing entirely. Luckily, she’s able to pass off his stiffness as shyness with her acting skills, rusty as they are.

It also helps that rest of the Crystal Gems are there too.

Amethyst sits, shapeshifted, on the rail, holding aloft a whiteboard full of Pearl’s frantic scribbling. The other two sit just below the balcony with yet another board. Furiously trying to answer questions that haven’t yet been asked.

All in all, it’s a pretty good plan.

Until Pearl, in her haste, accidentally switches from English to Gem Script.

Greg pauses a little too long, and by the time the gems realize their error the jig is up.

Needless to say, the Maheswarans are none too pleased.

(Later, no one would remember how long the argument lasted. Nor would they be able to name the person who brought it to an end.

They will, however, remember the words that stopped all of their hearts at once.

“ _Where are the kids_?”)

* * *

_“You’re home a lot more now,” Pearl mentions softly one day._

_Spinel hums, not bothering to look up from the little boy asleep on her lap. She brushes the hair from his face with a small smile._

_The four-year-old had barely left her side since she had come back from her week-long mission earlier that day. Not that she’s complaining, or anything. She’d missed him._

_And apparently, he’d missed her too._

_Sometimes she wonders if it’s really okay, this love she feels for him. Her relationship with his mother was strained at best, after all. But as much as Spinel had tried to keep her distance out of deference to Rose, failure haunts her as it always has._

_And yet, for the first time in her long,_ _long_ _life, she can’t bring herself to care._

_Steven shifts, snoring softly._

_Yeah… She wouldn’t trade this for anything._

* * *

Spinel is the first to react. “Garnet! Where are they?”

“... The bus stop!” gasps the fusion after a moment.

Spinel nods. “Right. Pearl?”

“We don’t know when they left _and_ they’re fast. We might not make it if we run.”

The lanky gem curses under her breath. “Amethyst!”

“Way ahead of you, dude!” she shouts, rushing past. “Garnet, Pearl! Fuse with me! We’ll slingshot Spinel over!”

Spinel jumps into action as soon as Alexandrite forms, wrapping herself like a rubber-band around the fusion’s fingers.

Alexandrite huffs and takes aim. “Fire!”

She flies.

* * *

_“Alright kid, time for bed.”_

_The six-year-old groans. “But I’m not…” he trails off in a yawn, “... sleepy.”_

_“_ _Right_ _,” Spinel chuckles. “Not like you haven’t been nodding off for the past five minutes. C’mon, your bed’s a lot comfier than my arm anyways. We can finish the show later. Right, guys?”_

_Steven groans again at the murmur of agreement that fills the room. “_ _Fine_ _,” he says, flopping over dramatically. He raises his hands sleepily above his head. “Let’s go.”_

_Spinel raises a brow. “Aren’t you a little old for this?” she asks as she picks him up anyway._

_“Never,” sighs the boy into her shoulder._

_She hopes no one can see her blush._

* * *

She lands just as the bus pulls up. The kids stare at her from the bench, frozen in shock.

“Steven, Connie,” she says, voice tight. They flinch as she draws nearer. She pauses and tries again, softer this time. “I’m not here to yell you. I just wanna talk.”

“W-we...” begins Steven, lip wobbling. “W-we were just-“

The rest of his words dissolve into sniffles as the boy bursts into tears.

Connie grabs his hand. “P-please don’t be mad, ma’am. We just- We were scared and-“

She’s interrupted by the sudden hug she’s pulled into. 

Spinel cradles them both tenderly, tears pricking at her eyes. “It’s okay,” she breathes. “We’ll work something out with your parents. You don’t have to say goodbye.”


End file.
